Cayman Career Academy located at Smith Road Plaza held its Open House on the 25th March 2019. The Open House marked the official opening of the first Beauty Academy in Cayman Islands to offer various diploma and certificate courses leading to CIDESCO qualifications. Josephine Wackett, a CIDESCO International Honorary Board Member and Examiner, said, “this is a perfect opportunity to open professional doors to a career for life!” The Cayman Career Academy includes all the updated necessary spa equipment to conduct classes in Aesthetics training as well as Body Therapy or Massage training. Almost two and half years ago, Ms. Jacqui Tomlinson-Smith met with government official from NWDA, Miss Dianne Conolly, regarding interest in starting a Beauty Academy. 

This was as a result of NWDA ‘s outreach to industry stakeholders concerning possible career pathways and the nonexistence of local learning centers offering accredited qualifications in the beauty sector. For many owners, trying to find dedicated time to train interns or apprentices on the job while still running a viable business was difficult. At the Opening, Dianne Conolly, Manager National Training and Development of Workforce Opportunity and Residency Cayman (WORC) shared with the group the work invested by her team in ensuring there was a training pathway for TVET (technical vocational and educational training) to be acknowledged as licensed facilities and congratulated Ms Jacqui Tomlinson-Smith on being the first facility in the Cayman Islands to get approval for provisional registration with Education Council to offer TVET programmes. 

The NWDA, now transitioning to WORC, is offering 5 Caymanians the opportunity to train in this professional field with a full-time six-month scholarship in the Certificate in Aesthetics starting April 1 and another 5 scholarships offered for the Certificate in Beauty Therapy starting In May. Those interested should contact WORC at [email protected] or call 244-4051 The Cayman Career Academy’s aim is to bring to Cayman education of the highest calibre possible in the Professional Beauty arena for any Caymanian wanting to embark on a Professional Beauty Course. Previously Caymanians had to go off island, make allocations for housing accommodation, airfare, food and transportation costs in addition to the cost of the programme. 

With the Cayman Career Academy there is no need to go abroad anymore as, all “world class” education can now be acquired locally. Ms. Jacqui Tomlinson-Smith wanted to source the best in beauty courses and after much research she decided on having CIDESCO as the choice. CIDESCO stands for Comité International d’Esthétique et de Cosmétology, which was founded in 1946, and remains to be one of the world’s major international beauty therapy and aesthetics organisations. CIDESCO is a Swiss-based qualifying body, and their qualifications are recognised internationally. Ms. Jacqui has now created history as having the first provisional licensed academy to offer courses leading to CIDESCO diplomas and certificates in the Caribbean.